Life is not always pretty. The experiences of pain and angst are everywhere one looks. Hidden beneath the surface are the dirty and stained realities of life. I, like many others before me, carry baggage as I struggle to move forward with a smile. Especially at this time of year, being optimistic inside and out is never as easy as it seems when the words roll off the tongue.
As I stared at the concrete floor, I could see reflections of my past and present in the stains left by time. As polished as it could be, and this was, the echo of yesterday’s dirt continued to leave its mark. I stopped and wondered if this was all I could see as I looked to the past. I realised that then and now, there is a light that is drawing me towards a brighter future. Where the light shined the brightest, everything else disappeared. There are reasons to be optimistic. There is a path to follow, especially if I am willing to look up.
To escape today’s darkness and storms requires faith. I realised that rich and poor, sad and happy, those with peace and those struggling to see beyond the present, walked the floor I was standing on. We are all in this together. With faith, hope exists, and one can see the possibilities. Some think this is criteria-based. History tells us otherwise. An old story comes to mind; “By an act of faith, Rahab, the Jericho harlot, welcomed the spies and escaped the destruction that came on those who refused to trust God.” (Hebrews 11.31)
Every smile is a statement of faith. I reflect on what I am letting go of and what I am embracing as I move forward. With each smile, I rediscovered how much faith and trust I have in Divinity and Divine goodness. I believe every human being has this within their hearts and souls. We are not the same as other creatures. We are Divinity’s children – in this with each other, responsible and accountable for our communities.
